Chapter 685: A Team

Upon arriving at the heart of the region, a faint smile appeared on everyone’s face. Finally, they had safely left that deserted island, and their journey into the mysterious land had only just begun…

As soon as he stepped off the flying artifact, Nuotiangong’s face turned extremely pale. If it weren’t for his determination to avoid appearing too pathetic, he would have collapsed long ago.

Seeing Nuotiangong’s expression, Xiao Yufan couldn’t help but feel amused. He wasn’t sure whether to pity the man or not—was he really so proud of his own dignity?

“Everyone, now that we’ve left the island, let’s part ways here. As for opportunities, it all depends on fate!”

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Yufan’s lips as his gaze swept across each person. Up until now, they had worked together only to escape the island. Now that they had reached the heart of the region, there was no reason to stay together.

Letting out a cold snort, as soon as Xiao Yufan finished speaking, Nuotiangong strode out. He couldn’t bear to stay here even for a moment longer. He only wished to meet up with the experts from Jiugong Hall and settle the old and new grudges between them once and for all.

Xiao Yufan wasn’t the least bit surprised that Nuotiangong left first. But this fool was still as foolish as ever—leaving alone in such a condition, did he really think everyone was as merciful as he was?

He had assumed Ye Kong and the others would leave as well, but Xiao Yufan soon noticed that they hadn’t made any move at all.

“Lord Ning mentioned that this mysterious place is full of dangers everywhere. No matter how strong one might be, one could still perish here. Perhaps it’s better if we travel together, so we can look out for each other.”

Ye Kong’s voice remained calm, but hearing these words from him made Xiao Yufan feel somewhat strange. Hadn’t this guy always held deep hostility toward him? Why did he still want to stay together?

“One person’s strength is ultimately limited. Everyone must have noticed how different this mysterious space is from the outside world. If we encounter danger, we might end up perishing here forever. But if we stay together, we might easily overcome any danger we face.”

Xie Yuan chimed in with agreement, and the others nodded with smiles. In truth, they all shared the same thoughts—breaking away from the group and traveling alone was clearly the least wise choice.

Though their strength wasn’t weak, none of them were confident enough to ignore all the dangers. Even if they could soon meet up with their own faction’s team, they had to ensure their own safety until that moment arrived.

Finally, all eyes turned to the trio of Xiao Yufan, Cheng Ying, and Wang Yuxuan. They weren’t fools; simply by sensing the auras, they could tell that this man and the two women were the strongest among them.

“Why are you bunch of guys staring at me like that? Be careful, or I might just…”

Feeling several gazes fixed on her, Yuxuan pouted slightly in dissatisfaction. But just as she was about to continue, she suddenly remembered Xiao Yufan was still nearby, and she playfully stuck out her tongue.

Though Yuxuan didn’t finish her sentence, Ye Kong and the others still felt a chill run through them—this little princess was truly not someone to be trifled with!

“Everyone’s idea is to form a team. That should be a pretty good plan!”

Xiao Yufan felt a surge of joy inside, these people really knew how to read the situation. Wasn’t this exactly the result he wanted? The mysterious land was filled with many young experts from the Guardian Temple, and if it were only him and Ying’er, they might struggle a bit.

Nodding slightly, Xiao Yufan kept his emotions hidden. If he agreed too quickly, wouldn’t that ruin his image as a proud expert? Besides, if the nine of them remained disorganized, he would rather leave with Ying’er alone.

“So what’s your decision then…”

Ye Kong frowned slightly. Shouldn’t this guy be excited? Why did he show no emotion at all? Could he have guessed wrong—that this man had intended to ditch them from the start?

“I’m not arrogant enough to think I can face any danger alone. But if a team is as disorganized as a pile of sand, it’s better to split up. At least that way, we won’t be held back and can act freely.”

Xiao Yufan naturally noticed Ye Kong’s expression and muttered inwardly. Even if this old fox tried, he probably couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

However, as soon as Xiao Yufan finished speaking, the expressions of the others subtly changed. Did this man really consider them nothing but burdens? After all, each of them was a standout among the younger generation of the Guardian Temple.

Though they were displeased, they merely pursed their lips without saying anything further. Xiao Yufan’s aura was far superior to theirs, so he had every right to act proud and confident in front of them.

“Among us, Brother Xiao’s strength is undoubtedly the strongest. If we form a small team, we will naturally follow Xiao’s orders!”

Xie Yuan, being a clever man, had likely already guessed Xiao Yufan’s intentions and smiled as he spoke.

The others slowly caught on afterward, though their expressions still carried traces of unease. After all, they were all top young talents of the Guardian Temple—how could they take orders from an outsider?

But thinking the other way, if the group was truly as disorganized as a pile of sand, then the existence of the team would be meaningless.

In this situation, Xiao Yufan remained unhurried. He believed these people would make a wise choice. If not, then parting ways would be the only option, and he wouldn’t suffer any loss either.

Seeing this, Ye Kong could only shake his head bitterly. This guy was always so confident, yet strangely, his confidence didn’t provoke any resentment at all.

Likewise, Cheng Ying quietly gazed at this man. The smile on his face made her slightly enchanted. No matter when, this man’s smile always radiated confidence.

The corner of Wang Yuxuan’s mouth curved into a beautiful arc. When had she noticed this man had such a charming side? If Xiao Yufan knew what this little woman was thinking, he might be utterly flustered.

After hesitating for a while, the group almost simultaneously nodded. When one is under another’s roof, one must bow. If Ye Kong hadn’t finally added that Xiao Yufan was extremely strong, they wouldn’t have made their decision so quickly.

Upon reaching the mainland, a faint smile appeared on everyone’s faces. They had finally left the desolate island safely, and their journey into the mysterious land had just begun…

After stepping off the flying artifact, Nuotian Gong’s face was extremely pale. If he hadn’t been forcing himself to maintain composure, he would have already collapsed to the ground.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Yufan found it quite amusing. He wasn’t sure whether to feel pity for him or not, as Nuotian Gong seemed to take his dignity as a source of pride.

“Everyone, since we’ve left the desolate island, let’s part ways here. Our fortunes will depend on fate!” Xiao Yufan said with a slight smile, his gaze sweeping over each of them. They had worked together to leave the island, but now that they were on the mainland, there was no reason to stay together.

As soon as Xiao Yufan finished speaking, Nuotian Gong walked away without hesitation. He didn’t want to stay a moment longer, eager to meet with the experts of the Nine Palaces and settle his old and new grudges with Xiao Yufan.

Xiao Yufan wasn’t surprised that Nuotian Gong was the first to leave, but he couldn’t help but think the man was as foolish as ever. Leaving alone in such a state, did he really think everyone was as merciful as himself?

Xiao Yufan expected Ye Kong and the others to leave as well, but he noticed they made no move to do so.

“Palace Master Ning said that this mysterious land is full of dangers. No matter how strong one person is, they could still fall here. It’s better for us to stick together and watch out for each other,” Ye Kong said calmly, though Xiao Yufan found it a bit strange. Ye Kong had always harbored deep animosity toward him, so why did he want to stay together?

“One person’s strength is limited. We can all feel that this mysterious space is very different from the outside world. If we encounter any danger, we might be trapped here forever. But if we stick together, we can easily overcome any threats,” Xie Yuan chimed in, and the others nodded in agreement. Their thoughts were aligned—leaving the group alone was the least wise choice.

Although they were all strong, they weren’t confident enough to ignore all dangers. Even if they could soon meet up with their respective factions, they needed to ensure they could survive until then.

Finally, everyone’s gaze shifted to Xiao Yufan, Cheng Ying, and Wang Yuxuan. They weren’t fools; they could tell from their auras that this trio was the strongest among them.

If Yuxuan hadn’t revealed her flying artifact, they might not have realized her extraordinary abilities, given her unremarkable performance at the Ancient Martial Arts Conference. But now, they had to acknowledge her as a top-tier expert.

“Why are you all staring at me like that? Be careful, or I’ll…” Yuxuan pouted, feeling the weight of their gazes. But before she could finish, she remembered Xiao Yufan was beside her and playfully stuck out her tongue.

Though Yuxuan didn’t finish her sentence, Ye Kong and the others felt a chill. This little princess wasn’t someone to be trifled with!

“It seems everyone agrees on forming a team. That’s a good idea,” Xiao Yufan said, feeling a bit pleased. This was exactly the outcome he wanted. The mysterious land was filled with young experts from the Guardian Temples, and if it were just him and Ying’er, they might struggle.

Xiao Yufan nodded, keeping his emotions hidden. If he agreed too quickly, it wouldn’t reflect the composure of a true expert. Besides, if the nine of them were disorganized, he might as well leave with Ying’er alone.

“So, what’s your decision?” Ye Kong frowned. Shouldn’t Xiao Yufan be more excited? Why did he seem so indifferent? Could it be that he had planned to leave them from the start?

“I’m not arrogant enough to think I can face any danger alone. But if a team is disorganized, it’s better to split up. That way, we won’t be burdened and can act freely,” Xiao Yufan said, noticing Ye Kong’s gaze. He thought to himself that even if Ye Kong were a cunning fox, he wouldn’t be able to guess his thoughts.

As soon as Xiao Yufan finished speaking, the others’ expressions subtly changed. Did he really see them as burdens? After all, each of them was considered a top talent in the Guardian Temples.

Despite their dissatisfaction, no one spoke up. Xiao Yufan’s aura was far stronger than theirs, giving him the right to act arrogantly in front of them.

“Among us, Brother Xiao’s strength is undoubtedly the strongest. If we form a team, we should follow his lead,” Xie Yuan said, clearly understanding Xiao Yufan’s intentions.

The others caught on belatedly, though their expressions still showed some reluctance. They were all top talents among the younger generation of the Guardian Temples—how could they take orders from an outsider?

But on second thought, if the group were truly disorganized, the team would be meaningless.

In this situation, Xiao Yufan wasn’t in a hurry. He believed they would make the right choice. If not, he could simply part ways without any loss.

Seeing this, Ye Kong could only shake his head bitterly. Xiao Yufan was always so confident, yet his confidence didn’t provoke any resentment.

Similarly, Cheng Ying quietly watched this man, his smile captivating her. No matter the situation, his smile always radiated confidence.

Wang Yuxuan’s lips curved into a charming smile. She hadn’t noticed this side of him before—so endearing. If Xiao Yufan knew what she was thinking, he might be flustered.

After a moment of hesitation, they all nodded almost simultaneously. When under someone else’s roof, one had to lower their head. If Ye Kong hadn’t added that Xiao Yufan was strong, they might not have made the decision so quickly.

Ye Kong himself was a half-step into the Xiantian realm. For him to say that Xiao Yufan was strong meant the latter’s strength was undoubtedly terrifying, possibly even at the Xiantian realm. With such an expert leading them, they could feel much more secure…